For centuries, emeralds and their origins have fascinated historians and collectors alike. The emerald featured in Lot 160, the emerald and diamond ring, is no exception – its journey is nothing short of extraordinary.

This cabochon emerald was discovered in the Atocha shipwreck of 1622. Bound for Spain from Colombia and full of treasures including gemstones, precious metals, tobacco and indigo, the Nuestra Señora de Atocha sank off the Florida Keys during a dangerous hurricane.

Centuries passed before the tale of the Atocha became a reality and it’s treasures aboard were uncovered. It was during the 1970s that an American treasure hunter based in Florida, Mel Fisher, began the lengthy and extremely tedious process of recovering those items headed to Spain. The expedition took almost twenty years, and along the way Mel and his team found coins, gold and silver items, and even bronze cannons that the ship would have used for self-defense during the journey at sea. Tens of hundreds of carats of gemstones were aboard the Atocha, some lost at sea and some recovered. By far the most valuable items recovered were emeralds believed to be from the famed Muzo mines in Colombia.

Rich in color and history, the emerald featured in Lot 160 received the coveted gemological testing results of Colombian origin, with minor clarity enhancement by traditional practices. The emerald is also referenced in the Mel Fisher Certificate of Authenticity as being recovered from the shipwreck in 1985 as 12.18 carats, then later recut and set into the current mounting at just over 7.00 carats.

Christie’s is proud to present this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a true piece of maritime history—a true treasure that has journeyed to the depths of the sea!